Winter's Embrace
by yume girl 91
Summary: One-shot: "That's just his way of beating around the bush." The sword said philosophically. "No matter how foolish Ichigo might be...he loves you." A pause then a short, soft inhalation. "As do I." Tensa ZangetsuxRukia with a little IchiRuki


"How did you manage this?" The faintest hint of dryness set her mouth into a frown. Her palm closed over the flake, the coolness in her hand as it melted into a few droplets within seconds.

"It's snowing." Turning around, she stuck her tongue out at him, her eyes narrowing since she was sure she had sensed some disbelief in that unbelievably dry tone."In case you haven't noticed yet, **I **made it snow in your mindscape."

Not rising to the bait like his wielder, the sword simply turned his gaze up then back down to her expectant face. "I can see that." Fat white flakes fell around them, dusting the world in a soft, frosted elegance.

"So?" Rukia prompted, her small hands on the hips of the light blue fur-trimmed coat she wore.

"What?" Flakes gathered along the top of his hood and shoulders, the solid black and pure white contrasting perfectly in the gray-skied world.

"Well, what do you think of-_this!"_ she held her hands out, letting them fill with snowflakes, on her lips a tiny childish smile hovered.

He made a small noise of understanding in the back of his throat. Then captured in one palm, a perfect almost star-shaped flake. "I had never seen snow before." It melted in the warmth of his hand. "It is...lovely."

"Mmm hmm...and to whom do you have to thank for such a sight?" Affecting a pout she presented only a sliver of her profile to him. "Hmm..." his fingertips traced her cheek, gently pressuring her to turn around. "..doesn't this bother you at all?"

Now she was confused. "Bother me-?"

"Being Ichigo's one and only and still..."

"Ah, that!" Clarity illuminated the violet-hued depths of her eyes. Then another frown creased her brow shaded by annoyance. "You're worried over a silly thing like that!" Crossing her arms over her breast, Rukia glowered disapprovingly at the sword. "You and he are one in the same so it's not like I'm cheating- more like _two for the price of one!"_

The hint of a sardonic smile turned up the corners of his mouth. "Don't you mean- three for the price of one?"

In the distance the Hollow's overjoyed whoops could be heard.

She colored a little, rolling her eyes askance away from his searching gaze. "...well, you know what I mean!"

"Oh, I do, do I? You haven't told Ichigo yet..?" His tone carried a note that she recognized.

"No, I haven't." she felt his other hand slide up to cup her face. "He just says, _going to visit the old man again?_ But, I always reply that it's none of his business, the idiot. If he spent more time learning from you then he wouldn't be asking such stupid questions."

The sword said nothing, his fingertips rubbing circles on the rise of her cheekbones in a way that Ichigo did, showing tenderness whenever the tough guy act was dropped. "I suppose you mustn't keep him waiting any longer then..." far off the sword could sense through the connection between them; Ichigo's mounting impatience.

"No, I shouldn't." she agreed thoughtfully before elaborating. "He was going to take me ice-skating. Apparently it is a most human form of entertainment during the winter though he refused to call it a date."

"That's just his way of beating around the bush." The sword said philosophically. "No matter how foolish Ichigo might be...he loves you." A pause then a short, soft inhalation. "As do I."

Rukia leaned in as he drew her close.

Closer.

Her hands fisted in the front of the long black cloak, his hood was tilted just so that she could see the glimmer of his eyes. "I know..." she whispered before slanting her lips against his.

The snow continued falling, wrapping the sword and the death Goddess in its cold yet shielding embrace.

-Finis-

Disclaimer: don't own Bleach.

AN: no manga timeline either. I wanted to write something else with Tensa and Rukia with a hint of IchiRuki too CX so this came out. Thanks for reading!

No flames-haters-stupid comments!

Reviews appreciated and loved C:


End file.
